At the Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston, from June 26 to July 20. Tickets start at $33; 1-800-982-2787 or BroadwayInBoston...

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THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

At the Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston, from June 26 to July 20. Tickets start at $33; 1-800-982-2787 or BroadwayInBoston.com.

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Diehard fans of “The Phantom of the Opera” can rest easy. While the North American tour of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical – which opens a three-week run at the Boston Opera House on June 26 – does boast new scenic design, choreography and staging, the show’s signature chandelier still comes crashing down, as it has on stages worldwide since 1986.

“The chandelier is not the whole show, of course, but it is still very much part of the Phantom experience,” promises Julia Udine, who plays Christine Daaé, the young soprano ardently pursued by the musical’s titular masked man who lurks menacingly in the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera House.

“The new chandelier is beautiful. And, thanks to the technology available today, the things it does are really great.”

Based on the Gaston Leroux novel of the same name, “Phantom” was first developed for the stage by Webber and producer Cameron Mackintosh 30 years ago. With lavish staging and under the direction of Hal Prince, “Phantom” has become the most successful musical of all time. In addition to London and New York, productions also continue in Hungary, Germany, Japan and Korea.

The “newly reimagined” North American tour is being directed by Laurence Connor, with new choreography by Scott Ambler and set design by Paul Brown.

“Our production has a whole new creative team led by director Laurence Connor, who asked each of us to approach the show like it is being done for the first time,” Udine said. “We all knew that it was already iconic, of course, but Laurence never put that pressure on our shoulders. I think in his mind, he wants this production to be more truthful and simpler in a way. It still looks gorgeous with the new sets and Maria Björnson’s original costume designs, but there is more focus on the truthfulness in the story we’re bringing to life onstage.

“Laurence has directed us much more toward realism,” Udine said by telephone recently from a Schenectady tour stop. “It’s the same story we all love and with the same lush music (“The Music of the Night,” “All I Ask of You,” “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”) but it is very different from the Broadway production. It approaches the characters in a more natural way.”

The role of Christine is a natural for Udine, a New Jersey native who has been taking voice and dance lessons since she was in elementary school.

“Christine is a dancer, a ballerina and a singer. For me, that brings all of my training together. I’ve been dancing since I was really young, and this is a part every little girl wants to play. I used to sing the songs from the show in my voice lessons when I was 12 years old, and it is wonderful to be playing the role now.”

Page 2 of 2 - And sometimes playing it for the legendary Mackintosh, who, along with Matthew Bourne, is overseeing the new production.

“Cameron Mackintosh came to our tech rehearsals and tour opening in Providence last fall, and later also to Chicago. When I was auditioning for Laurence, I knew that Cameron was behind the scenes so it was very cool to finally meet him, let alone get a chance to work with him,” recalls Udine. “Even though I tried my best not to think about the fact that Cameron Mackintosh was watching us rehearse, I was very nervous. Afterward, he told us to go back to the basics and simplify our performances. Having him say that reinforced to me that I don’t have to add more to the way I play Christine.”

Udine knows that originating the role of Christine in London and then on Broadway helped give soprano Sarah Brightman a lasting career as a classical crossover artist. She’s also aware that landing a leading role in a high-profile production at a young age doesn’t mean that she can take anything for granted.

“Continuing to train is very important. I also have to live a bit of a different lifestyle. I’m only 20, so I can’t drink alcohol, but I also can’t go out every night. I have to eat healthy meals, protect my body, and drink a lot of tea with honey to soothe my voice,” says Udine, who acknowledges that the demands are not only physical.

“I felt some pressure when I first went out with the tour, but it’s better now. I’m where I am for a reason. I trust the people who put me in this position wouldn’t put me here if they didn’t think I could do it. You have to have a sense of confidence about your own talent and what you can do. At the same time, it is also important to stay humble and be nice to the people you’re working with. It’s an honor to be in a great show like this, with such a great cast. I know how lucky I am.”